[Merry Go Round]

Hi again, I have a rather good quality shed which I use for modelling it is made from 25mm pine cladding, inside I have lining paper & 50mm Cellotex between frame work and all thats covered with 6mm ply. The floor is insulated with 50mm polystyrene between it's frame. The roof space is also insulated with 50mm Cellotex and 6mm ply like the walls plus it has carpet fitted in places. I use 4 ceramic greenhouse heater which keep off the frost and keep the shed at a cool but not too uncomfortable temperature.
I want to be able to store my books and magazines in the shed but want to know what extra heating I need to make the shed suitable for my books. The shed interior isn't damp but moisture is present my tools have been in there for a few years and have survived without rusting. So do I need a dehumidifier? and I am not sure what to do with the windows as they're just plain glass. My shed is 24 by 14 feet in size.

Shaun

 

[Chinahand]

QUOTE (Merry Go Round @ 14 Mar 2008, 21:09) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi again, I have a rather good quality shed which I use for modelling it is made from 25mm pine cladding, inside I have lining paper & 50mm Cellotex between frame work and all thats covered with 6mm ply. The floor is insulated with 50mm polystyrene between it's frame. The roof space is also insulated with 50mm Cellotex and 6mm ply like the walls plus it has carpet fitted in places. I use 4 ceramic greenhouse heater which keep off the frost and keep the shed at a cool but not too uncomfortable temperature.
I want to be able to store my books and magazines in the shed but want to know what extra heating I need to make the shed suitable for my books. The shed interior isn't damp but moisture is present my tools have been in there for a few years and have survived without rusting. So do I need a dehumidifier? and I am not sure what to do with the windows as they're just plain glass. My shed is 24 by 14 feet in size.

Shaun

Hi Shaun,

Although you say your shed is not damp I would almost guarantee that you will be getting some condensation in there on the inside of the glass, particularly on a cold night. Just the act of breathing in there generates air-borne moisture and the next thing you know, the window is steamed up due to the thermal bridge through the glass.

As I first step I would suggest double-glazing that window. A DIY kit from B&Q should do the trick. The other area you don't mention is the door. How good is the fit ?? Perhaps some sealant strip around the door rebate would help to prevent damp getting in. Whatever you do, don't be tempted to put a parafin heater in the shed as they produce huge amounts of water vapour.

As a final thought you might consider putting some bags of silica gel close to your books etc. This will help to absorb any moisture.

Regards,

Expat

 

[Merry Go Round]

Hi expat thanks for the reply, the conditions in the shed are 80% perfect but I am not quite 100% happy. I live in an area which suffers alot of fog and cold damp morning and on these days I know the little damp that is there would damage my books. I will try the double glazing kit from B&Q.
My door is a real tight fit but it wouldn't hurt to put foam insulation strip around the frame I have already done that with the windows.

Shaun

 

[fordy361]

I use a moisture trap in my shed. Brought it from wilkos works a treat.

 

[neil_s_wood]

Heat is the issue I'm having a problem with at the moment. We have had a week of high thirties/low forties temperatures and when I went out to the garage to look at my layout yesterday afternoon it was like an oven in there. One one stretch of track it had raised up vertically due to expansion of the rails from the heat. I had actually put small gaps in to deal with this so I am interested in finding out whether some types of rail are more susceptible to heat.

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 19 Mar 2008, 06:43) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Heat is the issue I'm having a problem with at the moment. We have had a week of high thirties/low forties temperatures and when I went out to the garage to look at my layout yesterday afternoon it was like an oven in there. One one stretch of track it had raised up vertically due to expansion of the rails from the heat. I had actually put small gaps in to deal with this so I am interested in finding out whether some types of rail are more susceptible to heat.

***Hello Neil

Actually in a way you have the opposite problem to the starter of this thread - too little humidity.

Your rail will expand, yes, however under high heat conditions as in Melbourne, which has low humidity, the wood of your baseboards will contract to a far greater extent than the rail expands! Therefore one is growing longer and the other shorter so to speak. Its this combined effect that creates the problem you see.

A humidifier may help... as will an air conditioner - but failing that a low cost and simple answer is to have a baking dish of water with a fan pointing at it - turn the fan on and off automatically (say hourly on one hour, off one hour) via a low cost timer that plugs into the wall socket. This will give cooling + moisture addition - a very low cost from of evaporative air conditioning and humidifying of the garage!

Richard
DCCconcepts

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 19 Mar 2008, 12:09) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>***Hello Neil

Actually in a way you have the opposite problem to the starter of this thread - too little humidity.

Your rail will expand, yes, however under high heat conditions as in Melbourne, which has low humidity, the wood of your baseboards will contract to a far greater extent than the rail expands! Therefore one is growing longer and the other shorter so to speak. Its this combined effect that creates the problem you see.

A humidifier may help... as will an air conditioner - but failing that a low cost and simple answer is to have a baking dish of water with a fan pointing at it - turn the fan on and off automatically (say hourly on one hour, off one hour) via a low cost timer that plugs into the wall socket. This will give cooling + moisture addition - a very low cost from of evaporative air conditioning and humidifying of the garage!

Richard
DCCconcepts
Hi Richard, I really hadn't considered that the wood would contract. Thanks for the tips. It would be worth knowing if some types of wood, chipboard and MDF contract more than others too.

I am so glad that it's started to cool down a bit. It's only 24 today.

Neil

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 19 Mar 2008, 10:51) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Richard, I really hadn't considered that the wood would contract. Thanks for the tips. It would be worth knowing if some types of wood, chipboard and MDF contract more than others too.

I am so glad that it's started to cool down a bit. It's only 24 today.

Neil

*** They all will, ply, MDF, Chipboard etc... The trick is to seal ANY wood no matter what it is.

I usually leave any wood that I will use on the layout lying in the layout room for at least a fwe days and then seal it before cutting into bits, going back later to reseal edges. Any old paint, undercoat or varnish is OK for this.

Richard

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 19 Mar 2008, 13:38) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>*** They all will, ply, MDF, Chipboard etc... The trick is to seal ANY wood no matter what it is.

I usually leave any wood that I will use on the layout lying in the layout room for at least a fwe days and then seal it before cutting into bits, going back later to reseal edges. Any old paint, undercoat or varnish is OK for this.

Richard
I think I'd better do this and seal it all.